This is a good book, in the sense that it is well written, supposedly historically accurate and enjoyable. I say that this is the kind of book you read when you are not looking for something deep, that will enrich your existence and leave long lasting impressions on your mind. This is, however, a fun read that can give you a bit knowledge in Romanian history and language, and a few hours of enjoyment. After all, this is a vampire story.
It's a very different vampire story, though. This is nothing like Anne Rice's deep philosophical battles and emotional narratives, nor the dark, dreary, and yet romantic Bram Stoker text. It all begins in post-Ceaucescu's Romania, with a group brought together by a powerful business man. The description of this tour creates the cultural and geographical backdrop for the rest of the story and introduces some key characters. From there you are transported to the psyche of a female, American M.D., working at a Romanian orphanage. You experience her dilemmas, her frustration with the health care structure, her repulsion and disgust with local work ethics and lack of professional competence (which has been called "the American abroad syndrome"). Towards the end of her soujourn, she comes across a baby in terribly poor state of health, whose only hope of survival lies in seeking treatement in the modern medical resources of western countries. Beneath this surface lies a great mystery and this boy's immune system may hold the cure to many of mankind's worst diseases.
In "Children of The Night" you will not find the terror you'd encounter in a Christopher Lee movie. Dan Simmons' vampires, the strigoi, don't inspire much fear or have the sex appeal of other mythologies. As a matter of fact, the different mythos in this story is it's greatest strength and, maybe also, it's greatest weakeness. You will find your share of dark mystery, but it may just not spook you. Although it's an entertaining page turner kind of book, filled with historical and scientific facts, it's no great masterpiece of literature. It would make a really cool Hollywood movie, in my opinion, but it's not on a par with other vampire stories I've read.
Tuesday, January 2, 2007
High Fidelity, by Nick Hornby
I thought the movie was really great (by the way, when I say really great, I am actually using an euphemism here). It was one of those "you-don't-have-a-choice" type of situations and I had to read the book. So, ok, the first conclusion I reached was that this was another rare case when the movie is just as good as the book, but that doesn't mean that if you've seen it and liked it, I'm providing you with an excuse not to read. I feel that, in this case, movie and book complemented each other well and the sum of the parts is a lot more fun than each other alone.
Is it a 'chick' thing (movie or book) for guys? Whatever. A friend of mine bought the book for herself and was turned off by the whole typical guy point of view and put it down after a few tens of pages. I ended up as a the lucky inheritor of the controversial opus. I really loved the strong focus on music which is so tightly woven into the plot: the references to pop, the top-5 lists, the wit, the sarcasm, the angle on the male perspective of romance for 30-something musicheads. Well, maybe because I'm one of those (ahem, was at the time I read it), but that's besides the point.
The story takes you along Rob Fleming's love life as he grows up, experiences different (failed) relationships with women and attempts to figure out what was right and what was wrong. The writing style is relaxed and unpretentious, but, at the same time, it's a deep trip into the male psyche (whether you like it or not). Among the wit and sarcasm, there are some interesting truths about growing up and learning to deal with life, love and sex (isn't it all the same thing?).
Rob owns a music shop that is a stone throw's away from financial failure. There he hangs out with Dick and Barry, two other misfit-musichead types, playing music, playing around and playing with their lives in a Peter Pan Syndrome kind of way. When his current girlfriend leaves him, he embarks on this trip through his past relationships and attempts to revisit each one of them and find out what they were all about. In the process, he meets his old girls and is forced to see things within himself he neglected for long. Fun stuff, but also insightful. Good hot-and-sour soup for the male soul.
Talking about books that changed someone's life, this one changed mine. I felt so much in the main character's shoes that when I finished the novel, I got in touch with an old girlfriend just to see if there was something still there. I'm now married to her and we have two beautiful boys. Corny or what?
Is it a 'chick' thing (movie or book) for guys? Whatever. A friend of mine bought the book for herself and was turned off by the whole typical guy point of view and put it down after a few tens of pages. I ended up as a the lucky inheritor of the controversial opus. I really loved the strong focus on music which is so tightly woven into the plot: the references to pop, the top-5 lists, the wit, the sarcasm, the angle on the male perspective of romance for 30-something musicheads. Well, maybe because I'm one of those (ahem, was at the time I read it), but that's besides the point.
The story takes you along Rob Fleming's love life as he grows up, experiences different (failed) relationships with women and attempts to figure out what was right and what was wrong. The writing style is relaxed and unpretentious, but, at the same time, it's a deep trip into the male psyche (whether you like it or not). Among the wit and sarcasm, there are some interesting truths about growing up and learning to deal with life, love and sex (isn't it all the same thing?).
Rob owns a music shop that is a stone throw's away from financial failure. There he hangs out with Dick and Barry, two other misfit-musichead types, playing music, playing around and playing with their lives in a Peter Pan Syndrome kind of way. When his current girlfriend leaves him, he embarks on this trip through his past relationships and attempts to revisit each one of them and find out what they were all about. In the process, he meets his old girls and is forced to see things within himself he neglected for long. Fun stuff, but also insightful. Good hot-and-sour soup for the male soul.
Talking about books that changed someone's life, this one changed mine. I felt so much in the main character's shoes that when I finished the novel, I got in touch with an old girlfriend just to see if there was something still there. I'm now married to her and we have two beautiful boys. Corny or what?
Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire, by J. K. Rowling
Seriously fun stuff. I was happy to see how Rowling is starts to break out of her well-established formula with this book (the story doesn't begin exactly like it does in previous volumes). This one actually had quite a few surprises and, although some things evolve much the same way as before, not all the elements of the equation that made Potter big are present. There's a lot of novelty to make up for the absence of certain factors and they more than make up for it. Can you tell I'm trying to tell you something about the book and not give anything away?
Slowly, but surely she's making this kid grow up. It's a joy to see that these changes, just like in real life, are coming gradually. It's fantasy alright: there's magic, strange creatures and all powerful beings, but there are human people with flesh and blood in this story, too. Those are the ones you can relate to and that's what pulls you in and get you so hooked on the story. Read it and you'll understand. If you're a fan of the series, you won't be disappointed.
Slowly, but surely she's making this kid grow up. It's a joy to see that these changes, just like in real life, are coming gradually. It's fantasy alright: there's magic, strange creatures and all powerful beings, but there are human people with flesh and blood in this story, too. Those are the ones you can relate to and that's what pulls you in and get you so hooked on the story. Read it and you'll understand. If you're a fan of the series, you won't be disappointed.
Foundation's Triumph, by David Brin
Ok, once more it's not Asimov style, but this got closer to the mark than the previous installments in The Second Foundation Trilogy. The Good Doctor had a way of telling a good story without need for terribly thorough character development; in his stories the focus was on the story, not in the characters. And since the stories was always ingenious enough to hold your attention almost by themselves, they worked beautifully.
I got the feeling that Brin did something very similar with this book. Hari Seldon, yes, he's there, palpable, aging flesh and blood, and you have a chance to go into his mind once again. He's the character in the book, pretty much. There are several others, it's true, but you won't be offered very much about them. Except maybe for good old R. Daneel Olivaw, Dors Venabili and R. Ludovic Trema.
Since this book is a wrapper, it takes upon itself the task of weaving together threads started in other books in the same universe by Asimov, Benford, Bear and McBride-Allen. You get to read about Daneel's motivations to instigate the creation of Psychohistory and his new plans for manking. You get to read about how sociological stability and order came to be in the history of mankind, a chaos plagued system. It's well worked out and has quite a few interesting surprises. I must say that I wasn't really blown away by the story, but I'm very happy to have read it because, for once, someone picked up Asimov's legacy and did a great job. It was certainly the most Asimovian book I've read which was not written by the Doctor himself, and that was a true pleasure.
I got the feeling that Brin did something very similar with this book. Hari Seldon, yes, he's there, palpable, aging flesh and blood, and you have a chance to go into his mind once again. He's the character in the book, pretty much. There are several others, it's true, but you won't be offered very much about them. Except maybe for good old R. Daneel Olivaw, Dors Venabili and R. Ludovic Trema.
Since this book is a wrapper, it takes upon itself the task of weaving together threads started in other books in the same universe by Asimov, Benford, Bear and McBride-Allen. You get to read about Daneel's motivations to instigate the creation of Psychohistory and his new plans for manking. You get to read about how sociological stability and order came to be in the history of mankind, a chaos plagued system. It's well worked out and has quite a few interesting surprises. I must say that I wasn't really blown away by the story, but I'm very happy to have read it because, for once, someone picked up Asimov's legacy and did a great job. It was certainly the most Asimovian book I've read which was not written by the Doctor himself, and that was a true pleasure.
Shards of a Broken Crown, by Raymond E. Feist
Unlike many of his other books, this fourth and last volume in The Serpent War Saga goes on for quite a while before taking off. My best memories of Feist's books are of stories that get you hooked from the very first page, but this one builds up slowly and only around page 100 you begin to feel drawn in. The plot is a bit formulaic: evil has not been totally rooted out in the last installment in the series, a massively evil power threatens the world, a great war ensues and the cavalry gets called to save everyone.
It's a nice epilogue to The Serpentwar Saga in that it wraps up a few threads, however, a really stunning novel it is not. It failed to capture my attention, for most of it. I didn't come to care much for the new characters, who are mostly either poorly developed or old personalities rehashed. Even returning characters seemed to have gotten less interesting. Only the last two hundred pages got somewhat exciting, and even then it was just a lot of frenzy that didn't elicit too many emotions.
It was great to visit with old friends I had made in previous Midkemia novels, such as Pug, Tomas and Nakor, but this time I got the feeling that they should better be retired. This is a very long series if you count all Riftwar, Serpentwar, and the other books in between, and I'm getting the feeling that some characters have grown to an almost godlike status that can always tip the balance in favour of the good guys. Maybe the time has come for me to give up on Midkemia, at least for a while. It looks like Feist leaves ample room for more sequels and unless they start dealing with a lot more magic than long winded descriptions of military campaigns, I'll have to say "so long and thanks for all the fish".
It's a nice epilogue to The Serpentwar Saga in that it wraps up a few threads, however, a really stunning novel it is not. It failed to capture my attention, for most of it. I didn't come to care much for the new characters, who are mostly either poorly developed or old personalities rehashed. Even returning characters seemed to have gotten less interesting. Only the last two hundred pages got somewhat exciting, and even then it was just a lot of frenzy that didn't elicit too many emotions.
It was great to visit with old friends I had made in previous Midkemia novels, such as Pug, Tomas and Nakor, but this time I got the feeling that they should better be retired. This is a very long series if you count all Riftwar, Serpentwar, and the other books in between, and I'm getting the feeling that some characters have grown to an almost godlike status that can always tip the balance in favour of the good guys. Maybe the time has come for me to give up on Midkemia, at least for a while. It looks like Feist leaves ample room for more sequels and unless they start dealing with a lot more magic than long winded descriptions of military campaigns, I'll have to say "so long and thanks for all the fish".
Ripley Underground, by Patricia Highsmith
The sequel to The Talented Mr. Ripley is perhaps not on a par with the original, but it's no doubt a good read if you like mysteries. The story revolves around the shady activities of Tom Ripley after the whole Dickie Greenleaf incident. This time Tom starts out building for himself the reputation of honest gentleman, a sheep's skin under which he carries on with his life of hideous crimes.
Highsmith has created an amoral character. Rather personifying evil, Ripley turns out to be very human and not always filled with bad intentions. He just has the knack of putting himself in situations where he reaches "points of no return" leading to more gruesome and horrifying deeds than he would have preferred.
The story begins with Ripley participating in little smuggling operations and art forgeries and all seems to be going well enough until it gets out of control and each little crime begets a bigger one. Soon Ripley is travelling all over Europe covering the tracks of one crime by committing another. The trips here and there add a lot of charm and style to the story and increase the pace little by little until the frenzy builds up and you begin to sweat in fear along with Tom.
I found the end to be a bit abrupt, leaving several threads too loose for my taste. However, knowing that this is only the second in a series gives me some hope that resolution comes in "Ripley's Game", the following installment, and that Highsmith manages to make it clear how Ripley gets out of this one.
Highsmith has created an amoral character. Rather personifying evil, Ripley turns out to be very human and not always filled with bad intentions. He just has the knack of putting himself in situations where he reaches "points of no return" leading to more gruesome and horrifying deeds than he would have preferred.
The story begins with Ripley participating in little smuggling operations and art forgeries and all seems to be going well enough until it gets out of control and each little crime begets a bigger one. Soon Ripley is travelling all over Europe covering the tracks of one crime by committing another. The trips here and there add a lot of charm and style to the story and increase the pace little by little until the frenzy builds up and you begin to sweat in fear along with Tom.
I found the end to be a bit abrupt, leaving several threads too loose for my taste. However, knowing that this is only the second in a series gives me some hope that resolution comes in "Ripley's Game", the following installment, and that Highsmith manages to make it clear how Ripley gets out of this one.
A Walk in The Woods, by Bill Bryson
Ask me for a lighthearted, fun book about hiking (even if it's not an accurate portrayal of the backcountry) and I'll recommend you this one. This is the story of how Bryson "rediscovered" his own country after a long stay abroad by hiking the Appalachian Trail (AT). Or to put it more accurately, a part of the AT. His angle is certainly humorous and enjoyable, though not so much to make me laugh out loud in public places as The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. (I'm just ranting a little bit because so many people say they have almost died laughing while reading the book.)
Another line of reviews you may hear floating around will tell you that people are glad they read the book, that they enjoyed nature through Bryson's experience and that they're glad they never left home to do it. I personally find that perspective narrow minded and sad. If anything, reading this book teaches that backpacking is much more than loading yourself like a pack-mule and naively braving through the wilderness. Bryson makes clear that he didn't know what he was getting in and so no one should view "A Walk in The Woods" as the report of life on the trail through the eyes of an experienced hiker. If you don't get that from the first chapter, you should be able to figure it out when he relates to you that his diet was noodles and Snickers.
Once you understand this fact, the book is rewarding. It's a nice collection of anecdotes, some of them very amusing, punctuated with bits of very relevant statistics and historical facts. Is it reference book? No way, but it's still a good read both for those who enjoy the outdoors and those who think they would if they got off their seats.
SPOILER ALERT: Don't expect the story to take you through the whole way from Georgia to Maine. Bryson was not one of those people who do the whole thing from start to finish (only 15% of the people who start out actually accomplish that). In fact, you may be left with the feeling that he did 500 miles the right way, collected his best material for the book and then cheated his way through to the end of the trail just to finish the book. I was led to conclude this is a real possibility, but even then I must say I enjoyed it.
Another line of reviews you may hear floating around will tell you that people are glad they read the book, that they enjoyed nature through Bryson's experience and that they're glad they never left home to do it. I personally find that perspective narrow minded and sad. If anything, reading this book teaches that backpacking is much more than loading yourself like a pack-mule and naively braving through the wilderness. Bryson makes clear that he didn't know what he was getting in and so no one should view "A Walk in The Woods" as the report of life on the trail through the eyes of an experienced hiker. If you don't get that from the first chapter, you should be able to figure it out when he relates to you that his diet was noodles and Snickers.
Once you understand this fact, the book is rewarding. It's a nice collection of anecdotes, some of them very amusing, punctuated with bits of very relevant statistics and historical facts. Is it reference book? No way, but it's still a good read both for those who enjoy the outdoors and those who think they would if they got off their seats.
SPOILER ALERT: Don't expect the story to take you through the whole way from Georgia to Maine. Bryson was not one of those people who do the whole thing from start to finish (only 15% of the people who start out actually accomplish that). In fact, you may be left with the feeling that he did 500 miles the right way, collected his best material for the book and then cheated his way through to the end of the trail just to finish the book. I was led to conclude this is a real possibility, but even then I must say I enjoyed it.
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